Many people just enjoy interacting with others, they may not be that technologically savvy, but they are very good at handling emotions, both of their own and those of others. A career in retail is the best path for them as this industry is people-centric, and it is all about understanding people and making them feel important.
In our preparation to study in Australia, an important decision is to select the programme we will study. This selection should not be random and based on intuition but needs to be taken after careful consideration. Here we take a critical look at the retail industry in Australia, what are its expectations from prospective employees, and how you as an international student can make a career in this field.
Current Standing of the Australian Retail Industry
Retail is the second largest employer in Australia with more than nine per cent of the workers employed by this industry. Employment in the retail sector in Australia continues to grow steadily year-on-year and is projected to maintain its growth. However, this growth may be affected by the availability of talent that can fill the buying, planning, and digital retail roles.
Some additional roles that may face moderate-to-strong demand in future include wholesaler, pharmacy sales assistant, visual merchandising, retail supervisor, and retail manager (sales). Australian retail is considered to be an entry-level and low-skilled sector, however, it faces complex challenges and operational requirements. This shift is because of the influence of international brands, digital technology advancements, and record labour shortage. This gives birth to diverse career pathways, furthering capability requirements, and skill gaps.
Tech-Savvy Professionals with Soft Skills are in Demand
Technological advancements have automated many routine tasks, creating the requirement for professionals who are not only familiar with the technology but also have skills such as emotional judgement, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. Even as machines are doing the majority of the work, these professionals need to understand what technology is saying, find out why it is saying it, and then find a way out of it.
Since, Australia is increasingly becoming a multicultural hub, as a retail industry professional you should be able to deal with the needs of customers from different backgrounds. To say the least, the outside retail industry may look to have jobs that anyone can perform, but continuous development is intensifying the need for soft skills. International students who are looking to pursue a career in Australia can consider the retail industry as a promising option. Learn more about picking retail as a career by talking to immigration consultants in Chandigarh.
Skills You Need to be Successful in Retail Industry
Considering that you already know how to operate machines and the technology that drives them is important. Here we take a look at some soft skills that you must have or acquire while you pursue a degree to make a career in the retail sector. Creative and cognitive flexibility is something that is required from any retail industry professional regardless of the hierarchy they are at. The reason is, in retail one will have to switch between different tasks frequently raising the need to think of multiple concepts simultaneously.
As a retail professional or a student pursuing a degree, you must develop good persuasion, influencing and negotiation skills. You will be dealing with managers, colleagues, suppliers, clients, and teams, and such skills are important for individual development and to drive business growth. The ability to persuade and influence people will come if you have emotional intelligence. Since you will be dealing with people throughout your work duration you should be able to regulate your emotions to understand the emotions of others. Last but not least, one needs to be able to adapt and be resilient for there will be periods of uncertainty wherein one needs to be calm, plus there is also the need to be open to ideas as a good solution can come from anywhere.
Wide Open Opportunities for International Students in Australia
As long as mankind is on planet Earth, there will be retail stores as somebody will be selling something and there will be people who need these things. Just like several other professions, the face of the retail industry is changing and this industry, without any doubt, is becoming more dynamic. Retail managers are at position seven among the top 20 occupations in demand in Australia. Holders of retail degrees can fill up jobs such as retail assistant, retail director, department manager, department team leader, sales associate, etc. These jobs regularly feature on job portals, both government and private.
There are a variety of programmes offered by many colleges and universities in Australia that can help frame your career. There are both short-term and long-duration programmes available to suit every requirement. You should seek the assistance of a career counsellor as you pick up a programme and consequently apply for a study visa for Australia. Talk to overseas education consultants in Chandigarh for detailed information and career planning.
The Takeaway
The retail industry in Australia is much more than plain customer service, as it expands into creative roles across branding, visual merchandising and branding. International students who are looking to frame their careers in the retail sector have a brilliant future ahead of them, provided they can catch the pulse of the market.
